Hatchway

ABSTRACT

A roof access hatch has an upstanding curb defining the well or hatch opening and a cover pivoted to the curb to open and close the hatch. The cover is counterbalanced and includes an improved latching mechanism which presents no substantial obstruction to the well opening. The latching mechanism is self locking in response to closure of the cover and may be opened from the inside or the outside of the hatchway. Means also provided for padlocking the latching elements from within the hatch is desired.

United States Patent Anghinetti et a1,

[451 July 29, 1975 HATCHWAY Inventors: Joseph R. Anghinetti,

Kennebunkport; Paul A. Couture, Emery Mills, both of Maine Wasco Products, Inc., Sanford, Maine Filed: May 21, 1971 Appl. 190.; 145,779

Assignee:

us. (:1. 52/19; 49/379; 49/386; 52/72; 292/238; 292/254 Int. Cl E04d 13/035 Field of Search 52/19, 200, 72; 49/379,

49/386, 5; 292/254, 256.5, 238, 228, 205, DIG. 30, 246, 250; 220/55 G, 55 E, 55 B, 55 T References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1924 McCulloch 292/205 X 1,752,131 3/1930 Wild 292/254 2,663,268 12/1953 Ahnell 52/19 X 2,715,540 8/1955 Potter 292/91 X 3,516,210 6/1970 Jentoft et al..... 52/200 3,561,162 Goldman 49/379 X Primary Examiner-Price C Faw, Jr. A ttorney, Agent, or Firm Arthur Z. Bookstein; Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks [57] ABSTRACT A roof access hatch has an upstanding curb defining the well or hatch opening and a cover pivoted to the curb to open and close the hatch. The cover is counterbalanced and includes an improved latching mechanism which presents no substantial obstruction to the well opening. The latching mechanism is self locking in response to closure of the cover and may be opened from the inside or the outside of the hatchway. Means also provided for padlocking the latching elements from within the hatch is desired.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL29 i975 SHEET .INVENTOIIQS wee. W

ATTORNEYS PATENTED JUL29 m5 SHEET INVENTOHS 23 7 CZCbaE/zc ATTORNEYS PATENTEB JUL 2 9 i975 INVENTORS HATCHWAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION cover associated with an access hatch in which the latch is operated easily yet which presents substantially no obstruction to the hatchway.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, the hatchway is defined by a rectangular curb mounted on top of the roof and surrounding the roof opening. A cover is hinged to the curb and is counterbalanced by a C-shaped torsion bar having a middle segment which extends externally and along the rear of the curb. The torsion bar includes end segmentswhich extend forwardly from the middle segment, one of the end segments bearing downwardly against the curb and the other end segment bearing upwardly against the inside of the cover. When the cover is released the bar relaxes to assume a three dimensional Z-snaped configuration. The torsion bar is so sized asto provide just enough force to counterbalance the weight of the cover. The hatchway also includes a gravity operated latch handle which is pivoted freely at one endto the inside of the. hatch cover. The latch handle hangs freely downwardly under the effect of gravity and includes a transverse bar at its lower end. As the hatch cover is urged downwardly toward the closed position, the bar of the latch handle slips over a catch secured to the inside of the curb to lock the latch handle tothe catch. The latch handle and catch have holes formed therein which register when they are engaged to enable the parts to be padlocked. Another feature of the latching mechanism is that it may be operated both from the inside and from the outside of the hatchway by a plunger, the inner end of which engages the bar of the latch handle. The outer end of the plunger is exposed exteriorly to the curb to enable the plunger to be urged inwardly to separate the latch handle and catch. Althoughthe outer end of theplunger is accessible, it is concealed by the rim of the hatch cover which overlies the outer end of the plunger. 3

It is among the primary objects of the invention to provide an improved hatchway including a hatch cover and latch therefor.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a hatchway which is burglar proof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hatchway with a self-locking cover which may beunlocked both from inside and outside the hatchway, yet which conceals the control for unlatching the hatchway from the outside.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved hatchway in which substantially no obstruction is presented through the hatchway opening.

A further object of the invention is to provide a latching device for a hatchway and cover therefor which is quick acting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood more fully from the following detailed description thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a hatchway in a fully open position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the torsion bar arrangement for counterbalancing the hatchway cover;

FIG. 3 is a broken away side elevation of the torsion bar arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the latching mechanism; and

FIG. 5 is another illustration of thelatching mecha-.

nism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows the hatchway in an open position and includes a curb 10 which defines a generally rectangular opening. The curb member surrounds an opening in the roof l2 and is secured to and sealed to the roof by appropriate means 13 well known to those skilled in the I art. The upper edge of the curb 10 is formed to define an outwardly extending, generally flat counter 14' which terminates in a downwardly extending skirt 16, both of which surround the upper edge of the curb 10. Appropriate thermal insulation 15 may be'provided about the wall of the curb member 10 if desired. A

The hatch cover 18 is of similar rectangular configuration and is largerthan the dimensions of the curb member 10. The hatch cover includes a downwardly depending peripheral skirt 20 formed integrally therewith which, when the hatch cover is closed, is spaced from and. surrounds the counter 14 and skirt 16 of the curb member 10. If desired, the hatch cover 18 may be provided with a sheet of insulative material along its internal surface. In order to provide an effective seal between the hatch cover 18 and the curb member 10 when the'hatch cover is closed, the inner surface of the hatch cover is provided with a resilient gasket 22 which engages the counter 14 and is pressed thereagainst firmly when the hatch cover is closed.

The hatchcover 18 is pivoted tothe curb and is counterbalanced by an arrangement better shown in F IGS. 2 and 3. This arrangement includes a pair of torsion bars 24, each torsion bar having an intermediate segment 26 and a pair of end segments 28, 30. When in a relaxed configuration each of the bars 24 defines a generally Z-shaped configuration. When the cover is I closed and the bars are loaded, they are deformed to a substantially C-shaped configuration as shown in FIG. 2. One of the end segments 28 is adapted to bear downwardly against a retaining bracket 32 secured to the curb while the other end segment 30 bears upwardly against the inner surface of the-cover at the opposite side and in spaced relation to the curb. The portion of each intermediate segment adjacent its associated end segment 28 is rotatably retained within a rearwardly extending hinge bracket 34. The cover 18 is pivoted to the intermediate segment adjacent the hinge bracket 34 by a hinge bracket 36 which receives the associated end of the associated torsion bar. Thus, the entire cover pivots about an axis which extends from one of the hinge brackets 34 to the other of the hinge brackets 34, to the pivot axis being spaced rearwardly of the rearward section of the counter and skirt 16 of the curb.

The cover may be supported firmly in an open position by a telescoping locking arm 35 pivoted at its ends to the cover and the curb. The arm 35 may be of any appropriate design as may be apparent to those skilled in the art.

FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 show the improved latching mechanism of the invention. The latching mechanism ineludes a latch vJhanitlle 3S having a p air of parallelmem side wall I l 'bersl40which are'pivoted,at,theirupper end'si ftog thel I initerior'of thei hatch cover bythe bracket42 fand pin' t 44. The ,lateh, handle 38 also iiicludes a transverse bar;

extends -therebetwee-n.jThe members 401-are 'freely'l 7 means leounterbalncinglsaid V wzircllyat 'ailutirnes under grg vityg'flhe latch haindle' 38 is enggable; when the cover is losedwith; aicarch'dfs 1 secured to theinteriorofithefront portionof the I o v fwhieh has apair' oflugs 50 extending slightlyinwarrllyf Thelugs 50fihav'ei audownwarrllyijcurved upperl surfaee I 52 and erflatlower surfaee 54 whichis disposed in rela ii ti on tothe bar 46 f the lateh g handle 'and the; ciii'b member andhaj tch Cover 18 sojthat rwhen the hatch 1 i'qlownwardlyr lalong the curvedjlrippersurfaee 5201? the r lugs'SO and then'will swing beneath the lower surface Q54 of the Iugs SO. The members' lt) preferablyernbraee r the lugsfifiiwhenelosingthe eoverflthe'eoveris 'urged fi y q o r s ,i i t iz r si n ask tfziiarid. ieriablefth'e'sbir'46 to niove below'the, le lfof th'e lugs I f50until theygbeconie engagem f Y :l 1 Theeovergmay'be unlatehecllsimplyfrornlinside lheji hzitch by pivotingithejlowerffree{enclflof thelhandleftoj f I release the bar flfrom ,theflugs Slli- Ariothei' ffeat-ure' of theiiinvenftion Tre'sides'in the p'rbvision of an, eicternlly I te'riorlyof I open and elo'sedpesitions; f

said jhatehwayigfor movement between; t

geover' towerd's (said; I, i

pivotable about the pin 44 anrl therefore, hangjdownrg V t open, positioniyin bar seu V cover isurgedto a closed positionthebar' 46 will' riclef Y 'operableflatch release as shown' in theidrawings This 7 f arrziingernentfiriclu des a plungeif fififwhigeh is supported "for forward an dfrearwyird movement withinl holesw I i formed in the front wz ll of thejeurb and its associateel, iI skirt; The outer ended the plunger sfii ijneludes eeorn l X pression spring 577 which biases "the iplungerinan; out

,5 ward;posirion=. The inner/end ofythe'plungerin nd es downwardlygextending fingerS fgwhieh s; V A I tween the members ofthelatch handle 'a'ndwhich d p seeb V I V t o t o 2;Aiooft aceessihatch, ompiisingh I r, 1s engagablfawlth the bar 46 when thebar 1S e 7 sidewall meansincluding a curbdefining ajnienclosedf; latched position. When the outer end of the plunger 56' V I hatchway;- I i x I I I I t I o depressedahe fingfl 58 engages the bar 46 and 2a c'overhingedto 'oneend of seidisi rle wallmeens ex together wlth the latch handle out i engagement V teriorly of said 'hatohwziy' for movement between I with thelugs 50. The outer end ofthe plungerSG is dis V I 0P6 andrclosedyrpositionsy I i f v: Posed beneath t 'ovgrhangmg Skirt portion 20 of the means counterbalancingl said eover toward saidopenr V cover 18 and betweenthe skirt of, the eo'ver and the, I 'j I i I I k t 16 of the Curb member 0 so that the Cover Skirt alaicho nghandfe Pivo:a1iv 'suspend d fronitheinsidej, I

' plunger.

merit by whichthelateh mgiy be-pedlockedfromwithin I I d e ef ly ncr s e nally QP the V 0f said'coveriadja cent the unhingederid menses}. i r o l, V I I 1 .ji;s nghandi eingawed d pend r ly The latching mechanismlalsomcludes an'arrange- 1 I downwardly thetefromjin aiysubsytamianyvemalr I I It preclude z possibilityvcf unauthorized ve n 5, I V a transverselyextendingrberseeuredato simme i I 1 when n yh arrangemm wv y ha rdlebetwfienthe endsoffssid'handle; I

i of 11016360 in One Of th o ithc 8 0 findicor I, catch lugineanssecured tosaid'sidewall ata location i l barf46 isengaged, with thelowersurface54'of the lugs, I 50, the holes 60,62 will be in' registryto enable a pad- *side and the outside of the ha tchwayQlt should bejun I dersto od, how'everythat the foregoing descriptionof:

' p ob 62 in the members 40 which, when J I radapld to be enga eble'withsaid transversely ex tending bar hen said cover islpivotecl to said W :closed'position thereofQsaid catch lug projecting lo ck64 to be placed therethrojugh I i fslightly inwardly from said sidewallgsaid eatchilugl 7 Thus, [have e cr d an im'PrQl/ed 0 hatchway including an upperedge loeated'tobeengaged by with a simple, effective lock operable both from the m i I said, bar; said edge havingga. downwardlyhand in?! i 1 6 I fwardlyfextehding:configurationtherebyto guide f l V I said transverse barinwarcllyand downwardly over,"

the invention 7 is intended; merely; to be illustrativeC the free-end of said lugmeanswhile said cover is I I thereof and that other embodiments and modifications V V 7, closing, said eatch'flug means having a lowe'r surl :may be apparent to those skilled in the art without dek v i face, adapted to enable saicl'ltransverse; bar; and

pal-ting from its spirit. V 7 V I Having thus' cleseribed the invention what l cle sire to I claim and secure by Letters'Patentis r I 1 letchinghanrlle'toswing back toward 'itsvertieally dependingattitudeand to enablesaid transverse V I I bz r' tobe disposed, beneath said lower surff1i0f a r 1 Aroof aceesshatchcomprisingt r 7 l saidlug meemspt 1 I I Hi means enabling said latching handle and catch lug to be unlatched from the outside of said hatch comprising a plunger mounted to said wall for movement toward and away from said latch handle, the inner end of said plunger having a member engageable with said transverse bar, the outer end of said plunger projecting outwardly beyond said wall, and means biasing said plunger outwardly; and

the edge region of said cover adjacent said latch handle including a downwardly depending skirt adapted to cover and conceal said outer end of said plunger when said cover is closed but to provide access to said outer end of said plunger from bedownwardly therefrom in a substantially vertical direction;

a transversely extending bar secured to said latching handle between the ends of said handle;

catch lug means secured to said sidewall at a location adapted to be engageable with said transversely extending bar when said cover is pivoted to said closed position thereof, said catch lug projecting slightly inwardly from said sidewall, said catch lug including an upper edge located to be engaged by said bar, said edge having a downwardly and inwardly extending configuration thereby to guide said transversebar inwardly and downwardly over the free end of said lug means while said cover is a closing, said catch lug means having a lower surface adapted to enable said transverse bar and latching handle to swing back toward its vertically means enabling external operation of said hatch arrangement comprising a plunger mounted to said sidewall means for movement toward and away from said latch handle, said plunger being disposed intermediate said handle members, the inner end of said plunger having a member engageable with the midportion of said transverse bar, the outer end of said plunger, projecting outwardly beyond said wall;

and i means biasing said plunger outwardly. 

1. A roof access hatch comprising: side wall means including a curb defining an enclosed hatchway; a cover hinged to one end of said sidewall means exteriorly of said hatchway for movement between open and closed positions; means counterbalancing said cover towards said open position; a latching handle pivotally suspended from the inside of said cover adjacent the unhinged end thereof, said latching handle being adapted to depend freely downwardly therefrom in a substantially vertical direction; a transversely extending bar secured to said latching handle between the ends of said handle; catch lug means secured to said sidewall at a location adapted to be engageable with said transversely extending bar when said cover is pivoted to said closed position thereof, said catch lug projecting slightly inwardly from said sidewall, said catch lug including an upper edge located to be engaged by said bar, said edge having a downwardly and inwardly extending configuration thereby to guide said transverse bar inwardly and downwardly over the free end of said lug means while said cover is closing, said catch lug means having a lower surface adapted to enable said transverse bar and latching handle to swing back toward its vertically depending attitude and to enable said transverse bar to be disposed beneath said lower surface of said lug means; and means forming a hole in said latching handle and said catch lug means respectively, said holes being registerable when said transverse bar is in engagement with the inside of said catch lug means to enable a supplemental lock to be passed through said registered holes.
 2. A roof access hatch comprising: sidewall means including a curb defining an enclosed hatchway; a cover hinged to one end of said sidewall means exteriorly of said hatchway for movement between open and closed positions; means counterbalancing said cover toward said open position; a latching handle pivotally suspended from the inside of said cover adjacent the unhinged end thereof, said latching handle being adapted to depend freely downwardly therefrom in a substantially vertical direction; a transversely extending bar secured to said latching handle between the ends of said handle; catch lug means secured to said sidewall at a location adapted to be engageable with said transversely extending bar when said cover is pivoted to said closed position thereof, said catch lug projecting slightly inwardly from said sidewall, said catch lug including an upper edge located to be engaged by said bar, said edge having a downwardly and inwardly extending configuration thereby to guide said transverse bar inwardly and downwardly over the free end of said lug means while said cover is closing, said catch lug means having a lower surface adapted to enable said transverse bar and latching handle to swing back toward its vertically depending attitude and to enable said transverse bar to be disposed beneath said lower surface of said lug means; means enabling said latching handle and catch lug to be unlatched from the outside of said hatch comprising a plunger mounted to said wall for movement toward and away from said latch handle, the inner end of said plunger having a member engageable with said transverse bar, the outer end of said plunger projecting outwardly beyond said wall, and means biasing said plunger outwardly; and the edge region of said cover adjacent said latch handle including a downwardly depending skirt adapted to cover and conceal said outer end of said plunger when said cover is closed but to provide access to said outer end of said plunger from beneath said skirt.
 3. A roof access hatch comprising: sidewall means including a curb defining an enclosed hatchway; a cover hinged to one end of said sidewall means exteriorly of said hatchway for movement between open and closed positions; means counterbalancing said cover towards said open position; a latching handle pivotally suspended from the inside of said cover adjacent the unhinged end thereof, said latching handle being adapted to depend freely downwardly therefrom in a substantially vertical direction; a transversely extending bar secured to said latching handle between the ends of said handle; catch lug means secured to said sidewall at a location adapted to be engageable with said transversely extending bar when said cover is pivoted to said closed position thereof, said catch lug projecting slightly inwardly from said sidewall, said catch lug including an upper edge located to be engaged by said bar, said edge having a downwardly and inwardly extending configuration thereby to guide said transverse bar inwardly and downwardly over the free end of said lug means while said cover is closing, said catch lug means having a lower surface adapted to enable said transverse bar and latching handle to swing back toward its vertically depending attitude to enable said transverse bar to be disposed beneath said lower surFace of said lug means; the latch handle comprising a pair of transversely spaced handle members, said transverse bar being connected at its ends and spanning said handle members; said catch lug means including a pair of transversely spaced lugs adapted to be embraced within said transversely spaced handle members; means enabling external operation of said hatch arrangement comprising a plunger mounted to said sidewall means for movement toward and away from said latch handle, said plunger being disposed intermediate said handle members, the inner end of said plunger having a member engageable with the midportion of said transverse bar, the outer end of said plunger projecting outwardly beyond said wall; and means biasing said plunger outwardly. 